PHOTOS: 19 pics of pro wrestler Anthony Bowens at this man-grappling best

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Anthony Bowens is proof that wrestling is changing.

Last September, the New Jersey-raised Bowens made history as the first out-gay wrestler to win an AEW championship. He and tag-team partner Max Caster perform as ‘The Acclaimed’. They triumphed at the AEW Dynamite meet in New York City.

Afterward, Bowens posted an emotional video message on social media about his victory. It was something he once imagined would never happen.

“I’m going to take a moment to share something I don’t really talk about much in front of the camera. And some of you know and some of you may not know, but I never thought I’d be able to have a moment like this.

“I never thought that I would be able to live my dream because there was a time when I was very confused. And I didn’t know how to accept myself,” he said. “So if you’re someone who feels like me. It doesn’t even have to be about your sexuality. It could be you’re depressed, you’re bullied in life or life just sucks, just know that everything gets better.”

Bowens’ current success did not arrive overnight. It’s been a hard, long slog for the 32-year-old. He was passed over by WWE in 2015 but determinedly made a name for himself on the indie circuit. In 2020, he signed a five-year deal with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) which has seen his profile soar.

Coming out

While establishing himself as a wrestler, he also decided to open up about his sexuality. He met his partner, Michael Pavano, and made the decision to publicly come out in March 2017. At the time, he said he was bisexual. Two years later, he posted a video to say that he was more comfortable with the label ‘gay’.

“As you get older, your viewpoints change. The way you look at the world changes. The way you look at yourself changes,” he told Gay Times shortly after.

He has never regretted coming out and says that if anything, it made his job a lot easier.

“It’s made my relationships with a lot of my co-workers and the other wrestlers a lot stronger because I’m not hiding anymore. They like the fact that I can openly be myself.”

“He’s gay!”

Audiences seem to like it, too. Last week, he again made headlines when he appeared at the AEW Rampage event. A female reporter claimed during a live interview in the ring that it was obvious Bowens was attracted to her. Bowens put her straight, and the audience joined in, chanting “He’s gay!”.

Again, Bowens says it was a moment he once never imagined happening.

“If you told me years ago I’d have an arena chanting HE’S GAY at me in the most POSITIVE of ways, I’d say you’re crazy. There’s obviously still progress to be made but I’m proud at how far we’ve come.”

Bowens now has his own action figurine, and recently modeled for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty label. He and Pavano, a YouTuber, recently shared the news on their social media that they’d bought their first property together in Los Angeles. We look forward to watching both their careers develop.

Swipe through for some images of Bowens at his man-grappling best…